1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to the use of network messages for communicating information to an end user regarding the usage of a network resource. The invention is more particularly related to the processing performed within a computer in order to process and forward the appropriate information from the network resource to the end user. The invention is further related to a method and system for sending an electronic mail message to an end user regarding the end user""s usage of the network resource. Still further, the invention is related to the transmission of a warning message to an end user, for example, when a number of pages printed by the end user on a network printer is close to a predetermined limit.
2. Discussion of the Background
Electronic mail (xe2x80x9ce-mailxe2x80x9d) has become very popular for communicating information between people and provides the benefits of being inexpensive and convenient to a user. Extensive information and protocols are available explaining how e-mail including Internet e-mail operates and there are many commercially available programs for implementing e-mail functions.
Internet facsimile is also available. See, for example, Toyoda, K, Ohno, H., Murai, J., Wing, D., xe2x80x9cA Simple Mode of Facsimile Using Internet Mail,xe2x80x9d March, 1998, The Internet Society, Request For Comments (xe2x80x9cRFCxe2x80x9d) 2305, produced by the Internet Engineering Task Force (xe2x80x9cIETFxe2x80x9d) Fax Working Group, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a method, system, and program product for implementing communication using electronic network messages or e-mail.
It is another object of this invention to provide a method, system, and program product in which an electronic network message regarding usage of a network resource is transmitted to an end user.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a method, system, and program product which transmits information regarding usage of a device originating from the device through a computer.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a method, system, and program product which transmits summary information regarding usage of a device originating from the device through a service center to a resource manager or resource administrator.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a method, system, and program product which transmits information regarding usage of a device originating from a device to a resource manager or resource administrator or to a service center.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a method, system, and program product which transmits information regarding usage of a device to an end user.
These and other objects are accomplished by a method, system, and program product in which an electronic network message regarding the usage of a network resource is received by a computer. When it is determined that the electronic network message contains information regarding usage of the network resource by a particular end user, a communication may be transmitted from the computer to the end user. For example, the end user may receive a warning message that a number of printed pages is getting close to a predetermined limit.
In an embodiment of the invention, a message regarding the usage of a device by a particular end user may be sent from the device either to a resource administrator or through a firewall to a service center. Resource usage of network devices by a particular end user may be transmitted from the devices to transmit the appropriate information regarding usage of the devices to either the resource administrator or a service center. For some resources, a device driver may be needed to perform this task. Resource usage, such as, for example, the number of pages printed by an end user, is tracked for an intranet so that an end user""s resource usage is still tracked even if the user changes stations on the intranet. When, for example, a user receives a message that his/her usage of a particular network resource is close to a predetermined limit, the user may take an appropriate action such as, for example, requesting an increase of the resource limit. If the user exceeds his/her limit, he/she may be prohibited from using further network resources. A device or network resource may be any type of device including a hard disk space, a business office device such as a printer, a copier, a scanner, or a facsimile machine, a digital camera, or any other electronic device which is desired to be remotely monitored and/or controlled including equipment for remotely monitoring and controlling utility meters and household appliances. In this context, a user, or an end user, may include both human users and electronic users such as, for example, a software agent.
The invention also relates to the transmission of an outgoing e-mail message from a computer containing information from an attached device as one means to transmit the resource usage information to a resource administrator or a service center. Information from the device may be transmitted to a device driver of the computer and subsequently to a Messaging Application Programing Interface (xe2x80x9cMAPIxe2x80x9d) of the computer. If desired, the transmission of the electronic mail message from the device may establish a TCP (xe2x80x9cTransmission Control Protocolxe2x80x9d) connection between the computer and the device which functions as a message transfer agent. As a further alternative, one or more files may be created within the computer and these files may be written to a mail spool directory of the computer. When the computer detects the existence of the file(s) in the mail spool directory, an e-mail message is transmitted from the computer. If it is desired, and if the environment supports it, the information may be sent directly to the resource administrator or the service center without using e-mail transmission.